Benfica coach José Mourinho wishes his former player Álvaro Arbeloa success as coach of Real Madrid except when they square off on Wednesday in Lisbon in the Champions League.
Arbeloa replaced another of Mourinho’s former Real Madrid players Xabi Alonso earlier this month and led the team to a 6-1 demolition of Monaco at the Bernabéu stadium in his first Champions League game at the helm.
«My immediate thought [when I found out] was that I hope it goes well,» Mourinho said of Arbeloa’s appointment during Tuesday’s news conference.
«Arbeloa can coach any club in the world and I would want him to do well just as I want the best for Real Madrid. Arbeloa is one of my boys. I love Madrid and I love Arbeloa, I only want things to go badly for them tomorrow.
«I have not spoken to Álvaro. I cannot analyse him as a coach because I have not seen him train.
«The important thing is that he is happy. I cannot give him any advice. It’s difficult to be coach nowadays. There’s always a lot of people that know more than you and talk about you every day. So you have to like what to do.»
Arbeloa, 43, has no previous experience coaching at the highest level.
He had been the coach of Madrid’s reserves, Castilla, since June 2025 before being promoted to the hot seat this month.
Asked about his recent comments in which he questioned why «coaches with no history» are appointed at some of the biggest clubs in the world, Mourinho reflected on his first big break as coach of Benfica.
«What surprises me is when a coach without a history coaches a big club,» he said. «But let me tell you that in 2000, a big club like Benfica hired a coach who hadn’t coached anyone before and that coach replied that he didn’t want to be an assistant.
«He thought they were offering him the assistant job when they wanted him as head coach and that was a big surprise.
«In Spain, you mentioned Arbeloa. He, like [former Inter Milan great and now Inter coach Cristian] Chivu are my boys, they are former players of mine and special former players. Arbeloa is one of my favorite players, from a human point of view and in terms of personal empathy.
«He was not the best but perhaps he was one of the best men at Madrid. I just hope everything goes well and that he has a fantastic career.»
Mourinho, meanwhile, has no doubt Arbeloa’s predecessor, Xabi Alonso, will bounce back.
Asked if he was surprised by Alonso’s dismissal after seven months in charge, Mourinho said: «Xabi is another of my boys. I only have positive memories of him. I have played against Xabi Alonso [when he was manager of Bayer Leverkusen] and I got emotional before and after facing his team.
«I’m very happy with what he did at Bayer Leverkusen, very happy that he arrived at Madrid. I’m not interested in how it ended. In football nothing surprises me, anything can happen. His career will take another path.
«He has proved, especially at Leverkusen the level he has as coach.»
Mourinho, 63, arrived at Real Madrid in 2010 having previously steered FC Porto and Inter Milan to Champions League glory.
He guided Madrid to a LaLiga title, and Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercup triumphs during his three seasons (2010-13) with the Spanish giants.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager took the reins of Benfica in September.
Benfica need to beat Madrid on Wednesday to continue in the competition while a draw could be enough for Los Blancos to seal a spot in the last 16.
«We have no other option,» Mourinho said. «When you have nothing to lose, you have to go all out. It’s kill or be killed.
«That’s what we’ll try to do tomorrow with balance. They’re a punishing team; these players put in three touches and score three goals.
«They’re at such a high level that they’re waiting for you to make a mistake. We know who they are but we also know who we are. We just have to focus on winning the game knowing who we are up against.»
